Auto signal



.lune 17, 1924. 1,497,953

I F.S.SPRHQGSTEAD AUTO S IGNAL Filed May 31, 1923 2 sheetsheet 1 T- f I E' E' gaaf-gf] d) Il INVENTOR Thank/in 5. pr'mgead ATTO EY June 17, 1924.

F. S. SPRINGSTEAD AUTO SIGNAL 2 Sneens-Sheet 2 Filed May 5l. 1923 se" *o INVENTOR l 'an/t//h prl'lysfeaol ATTORNEfw Signals, of whichthe following is a speci- Patented .lune 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES FnANKLnv ssrnrNGsTEAD, or ROCHESTER, NEW vomi. c

AUTO SIGNAL.

Application filed May 31, 1923. Serial No. 642,519.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN S. Sr 1uNG` sTEAD, a citizen of the United States residing at Rochester, in the county of l onroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto lication. l

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved direct-ion and stopk signal in combination with a spot light.

This and other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the front of an automobile with the direction and stop signal mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a rear yelevation o-f the same portion of the automobile illustrated in top A tmounted on a rotating sleeve`2. This sleeve f has'a slot 10 cut into it near the inner end plan view in Figure 1 with vthe direction and stop signal'mounted thereon.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the signal the section being taken on the line 3"-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the signal, the section being taken on the line 482-41* of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the signaljthe section being taken on the line 5X-5X of Figure 1. L 4

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the operating levers of the signal and supports therefor. f

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the signal forming the subject matter of my present invention,k a swinging indicator 1 is mounted on top of a rocking sleeve 2 that is carried by a hollow supporting bracket 3. The supporting bracket 3 is clamped to the standard 4: ofthe windshield by means of the clamp 5 and forms a rocking bearing for the end of the hollowv bracket to turn therein. A pair of collars ing the bracket 3 above the clamp 5 is they torsion spring 9 having the lower end thereof anchored to the clamp 5 and the upper end thereof anchored to the hollow bracket 3. The action of this spring is to swing the hollow bracket forwardly until the pin 8 engages the end of the cut away portion ofthe clamp 5. rIhe stop formed inythis way arrestsa furtherswinging motion of i the bracket?) towardV the front and holds this bracket in 4an angularly projecting position from the body of the car as illustrated inFigures 1 and 2. When the indicator or its supporting bracket is hit by 4anobject from the front the bracket can swing back against the ktorsion of the spring `9 and thus allow the object to pass by with- The torsion spring will quickly swing the bracket out doing any damageto the signal.

3 and its indicator back to its normal position after the object or obstruct-ion that had come in contact with it has passedby.

As pointed out above, the` indicator 1 is thereof into which a pin'11 carried `by the bracket 3 is adapted to project. gagement of this pin with the sleeve holds the sleeve in place on the bracket but permits a turning motion thereof. In addition to the circular slot 10 the sleeve is also provided with a spiral slot 12. Ahorizon- The entally sliding pin 13 projects into thisspiral slot at each side ofthe bracket Sand turns the sleeve 2 when the pin 13 is operated to slide back' and forthin the bracket 3 as will presently be described.

,ers also engage the spiral slot 12 of they sleeve 2 so thaty on the movement ofthe pin 13 Withinthe bracket 3 they sleeve may be turned in either one or the other` direction. The pin is moved back and forth'by means of the iiexible cable`18 carried in the flexible guide sleeve 19. yThe outer end of this cable is suitably fastened to the pin 13 while the otherend is attached to the end of the operating handle 20. This is done by extending the-flexible cable and its guide sleeve through the hollow bracket 3, the'k flexible f hose 2K1 fastened to the end of the hollow bracket and the tube 22 fastened to the steering column 23 and'connected to the endy of rthe hollow bracket 3 by means of the exible hose 21.v The upper portion of the tube 22 projects angularly to onerside of the steeringcolumnc23xan'd2its upper end is located just below the rim of the steering Wheel 24. In the end of the tube 22 are mounted to slide the operating handles and 2G. To the end of the handle 2O is suitably fastened the end of the flexible cable 18. The'handles 20 and 26 are adaptedtobe p ushedzin and pulled out of the end of the tube 22 in order to pull or pushthecable that is attachedt thereto to operatepthe signalin the desiredmanner. Thus inipushing inon the handle 2O the1 cable 18is pushed byl itso that: the pinlS` with itsy rollers 16 and 17 is fOlCed outwardly. in therslots ofthe bracket Sxwhich in turn causes theA sleeve 2torrotate in one direction WhileY apulling on thehandile 2O will cause theV sleeve 2 to rotate inthe opposite direction. For the purpose offholding thesleevein a predetermined position the stem of the handle 20 is notchedon one side thereof and a; spring-latch 25 mounted on theinsideiofngthetube 2 2`is adapted to engage into these notches as the handle is operated, and). temporarily i holdv the handle in the desired position. ln rotating, the sleeve 2 is held ,against cndwiseimovement bythe pin 11 which engages into theslot 10 and guides thesleeve during its rotating motionfinfeither one or the other' direction.

'llhe4 indicator l comprises a tubing having a. reflector' 28 with a lens 29 in front of itv mounted in one end thereof. rlhe other end .ofthe tube is closed by a suitablecover that is held in. place by thespring' latches 3l. The sides of the tube aswell as. the top thereof'have the-arrows32 cut. into it and the openingsV formed by thesearrows are closed yby a cylindrical sheet of a colored Celluloid 33 ornsimilar material that fits snugly against the inner Wall of the tube forming the indicator.

In the focal center of the reflector 28 is mounted the electric light bulb Se and in the middle of the insideoff the indicator is mounted another electric light. bulb 35. The light 35,V its reflector. 28, .and lens 29 form a spot light in the end. ofthe indicatory that tracts.l theattention ofanyone in. front or in. rear of thel cark so thatthe operation of the,- signalv or indicator is readily observed byscthoseinterested inthe movement ofthe cari. ffl-ille..indicator. ispivoted inthemiddle of the topof therrsleeve .2 nearthe onterlend thereof and forthispurpose afhollow stud 36 is fastened totheindicator tube. This stud is mounted to rotatein the sleeve 2 being provided with a collar at the top and bottom. of the tube 2 that hold the stud in place on the tube and permit its rotation therein. The stud 36 is rotated by means of another exible cable 37. This cable proljects past theholloiv stud 36 being guided by two holes provided in the partitions 8S and 89 locatedv one. on each side of thestud 36. lVoundaround thestud; Bois a short flexible friction cablel or other. fleXiblefriction member et() having one end thereof fastenedt-o the. fiexiblecable 37- on one side of thefstud 36-While the other .endgof the friction cable l0 is fastened to the llexible cable 37 at the other side of the stud 36. LThe friction cable.isfastenedtothe stud in the middle thereofl so that onfthe reciprocation of theflexible cable 37 the shortgiiexible mountediparallel to. andis the'same in cona struct-ion asjthe handle .20;abovedescribed in connection with. the. turning .of the sleeve; 2. ln operating the handle 2 6 by slidingnt in or outl ofthe tube 22 4the:indicator-1 can, therefore, be swung to theright or left. of the straight forward positionillustrated in Figure lVv and. thus indicate to anyonein front or rear of the carthe direct-ion in Which the car israbout' toturn.' Torindicate thatthe car isl about to.V stop the indicator il E is swung vertically from the horizontal: position toa vertical posit-ion asindicated' in dotted lines in; `Fignre 2. This isA doneby turning the sleeve which carries theyindicator 1- byv meansfofthe handle 20. For the purpose of directing thesspot light inany direction the indicator can be swung if necessary through. an arc of3609 by. simply .operatin gthe handle 26j to .turn the :stud .3,6 as abovedescribed until thejindicatorgpoints inV thedesired direction.

l claim: i Y

1. ln an` automobile signahthe combination of aphollows anglefbracket;mennted to swing and Vproject horizontally to ones ide ofthe vehicle7 `meansfor .yieldinglyiho-ld? ing` saidv bracket in predetermined angularly projectingzposition on thevehicle a rotating sleeve carried on: the outer -`horizontal end of said bracket, a s wingingim dicator mounted on V`said, rotatingvV sleeve, means for rotating said? sleeve and-swinging said` indicator ina. vertical'planeanduneans for swinging;- said indicator on.said rotating sleeve in ka horizontalgplane toplace-:said

indicator into any angular horizontal position or a vertical position.

2. In an automobile signal, the combina ing said indicator in a vertical plane and means for swinging said indica-tor on said rotating sleeve in a horizontal plane to place said indicator into any angular horizontal position or a vertical position, a search light mounted in the front end of said indicator.F

3. In an automobile signal, the combination of a bracket, a sleeve mounted on said horizontal bracket, an indicator mounted to swing in a horizontal plane on said sleeve,

said sleeve having a spiral guide slot provided therein, a pin projecting fromsaid c' bracket and engaging said spiral slot in' said sleeve and means adapted to reciprocate'said pin in said bracket to cause said pin to turn said sleeve by reason of its engagement with said spiral slot.

4. In an automobile signal, the combination of a bracket, a sleeve mounted to rotate on said bracket, a pivot stud carried in the end of said sleeve, a sliding cable mounted to slide past said pivot stud, a :friction cable wound around said stud and fastened with its ends to said sliding cable at each side of said stud, and 'means for sliding said cable and cause said friction cable to rotate said pivot stud, an indicator mounted on said pivot stud.

5. In an automobile signal, the combination of a hollow bracket, a sleeve mounted to rotate on one end of said bracket, a sliding pin mounted in said hollow bracket, said sleeve having a spiral slot cut into it, said sliding pin being adapted to engage said spiral slot and. rotate said sleeve on the reciprocation thereof within said bracket, a i

pivot stud mounted to rotate in said sleeve, a friction cable wound around said stud and means to wind up and unwind said kfriction cable from said pivot stud to rotate said friction stud, an indicator carried by said pivot stud, and means for reciproeating said pin within said bracket.

6. In an automobile signal, the combination of a hollow7 bracket, a sleeve having a spiral slot cut into it mounted to rotate'on said bracket, a pin mounted to reciprocate,

within said bracket and engaging said spiral slot to rotatesaid sleeve on the reciprocation of said pin within rsaid bracket, a pivot stud carried by said sleeve, an indicator carried by said stud, a friction cable engaging said stud, a flexible sliding cab-le operating' said friction cable to wind up and unwind said friction cable from said stud and cause said stud with its indicator to rotate, a ysecond sliding cable for reciprocating said pin, a handle for both of said sliding cables at the outer ends thereof,

and means for guiding said sliding cable from the bracket to said handles.

7. In an automobile signal the combination of a hollow bracket, a socket adapt-ed to be mounted to the body of lan autoinof bile and forming a bearing for said bracket to swing therein, spring pressed means for yieldingly holding said bracket in a predetermined position in said socket, a sleeve mounted to rotate on the i'iterend of said bracket, means for rotating said sleeve, a" pivot pin mounted to rotate in thefouter end of saidsleevc as well as rotated withsa'id sleeve, an indicator mounted on thepupper end of said pivot pin outside vof said sleeve, said indicator being adapted to be swung in a horizontal plane by rotating said pivot pin and being adapted to be'swung in a vertical plane by rotating said sleeve with said pivot pin.

In testimony whereof I affix `my signa- 

